Physiology Flashcards
What occurs during the cardiac cycle?
A cycle of atrial and ventricular contractions and relaxations and are in the order:
Passive filling, Atrial Contraction, Isovolumetric ventricular contraction, ventricular ejection and isovolumetric ventricular relaxation.
What is involved in passive filling?
Pressure in atria and ventricles close to zero.
AV valve open - venous return flows into ventricles.
Aortic pressure ~ 80mmHg - aortic valve is closed.
Pressure is much lower on the right side of the heart.
Causes 80% ventricular filling.
What is involved in atrial contraction?
P-Wave in EC - atrial depolarisation.
Atria contract - between P-Wave and QRS.
Atria contraction complete the EDV
What is involved in isovolumetric ventricular contraction?
Ventricular contraction starts after the QRS - ventricular depolarisation.
Ventricular pressure rises.
AV valves shut when atrial pressure exceeds ventricular.
First heart sound heard
Aortic valve still shut - no blood entering or exiting - ventricular pressure rises steeply.
What is involved in ventricular ejection?
Ventricular pressure exceeds aorta/pulmonary artery pressure.
Artery valves open.
SV ejected by each ventricle leaving behind End Systolic Volume (ESV)
Aortic pressure rises.
T Wave signals ventricular depolarisation.
Ventricles relax - ventricular pressure starts to fall.
Aortic pulmonary valves shut - second heart sound
Produces dicrotic notch in aortic pressure curve due to valve vibration.
What is involved in isovolumetric ventricular relaxation?
Closure of aortic/pulmonary valves signals the start.
Ventricles become shut box due to box valves being shut.
Tension decreased around closed volume.
When ventricular pressure falls below atrial pressure AV valves open and starts new cycle.
First Heart Sound (S1)
Caused by closure of mitral and tricuspid valves. Beginning of systole
Second Heart Sound (S2)
Caused by closure of aortic and pulmonary valves. End of systole and beginning of diastole.
Auscultation Area (Aortic Valve)
2nd Intercostal space right of the sternum
Auscultation Area (Pulmonary Valve)
2nd Intercostal space left of the sternum
Auscultation Area (Tricuspid Valve)
4th intercostal space left of the sternum
Auscultation Area (Mitral Valve)
5th intercostal space in the midclavicular line
Use of estimation of jugular venous pressure
An indirect estimate of right atrial pressure (central venous pressure).
Elevation of JVP
If pressure in the right atrium is elevated and can be a sign of heart failure.
Normal JVP
No more than 3cm vertically above the sternal angle.
When does JVP occur?
After right atrial pressure
Systolic Arterial Blood Pressure
The pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the aorta and systemic arteries when the heart contracts.
Diastolic Arterial Blood Pressure
The pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the aorta and systemic arteries when the heart relaxes.